Quotiens choragus signum dat, totiens caterva in pulpitum venit.

This is a matching pair in Latin.

• quotiens = as often as / whenever
• totiens = so often / that many times

So the structure is:

• Quotiens ... , totiens ...
• As often as ... , so often ...

It is a very neat correlative pattern: the first word introduces the repeated situation, and the second word answers it in the main clause.

Because it introduces the subordinate clause:

• Quotiens choragus signum dat = whenever the stage manager gives the signal

Latin often puts the subordinating word first, just as English often begins with when, if, because, and so on. Starting with quotiens immediately tells you that a time-clause is coming.

Choragus is nominative singular, because it is the subject of dat.

• choragus = the person doing the action
• dat = gives

So choragus signum dat means the stage manager gives the signal.

Because signum dare is a normal Latin idiom meaning to give the signal.

Latin often uses a noun + a common verb where English might also use a set phrase:

• signum dare = give the signal
• literally, to give a sign/signal

So this is not strange or overly literal Latin; it is the standard expression.

Signum is accusative singular, because it is the direct object of dat.

• dat = gives
• What does he give? signum

That makes signum the thing being given, so it takes the accusative case.

Because caterva is a singular collective noun. It means something like a troop, band, or group.

Even if the group contains many people, the grammatical noun itself is singular, so the verb is singular too:

• caterva ... venit = the group comes

This works much like English the crowd comes rather than the crowd come, if you are treating the crowd as one unit.

Because its subject, caterva, is singular.

• caterva = nominative singular
• venit = third person singular present

Latin verbs agree with the grammatical number of their subject, not necessarily with the real-world number of individuals inside the group.

Because in with the accusative often shows motion into or onto something, while in with the ablative shows location in/on something.

So:

• in pulpitum = onto the stage / into the मंच-like area → motion
• in pulpito = on the stage → location

Since the group is coming onto the stage, Latin uses in + accusative.

Yes, both are present tense:

• dat = gives
• venit = comes

But this is a habitual or general present. Latin, like English, can use the present tense for something that happens regularly:

• Whenever he gives the signal, the group comes onto the stage.

So the sentence describes what normally happens each time, not just one single event happening right now.

The quotiens clause is subordinate, and the totiens clause is the main clause.

• Subordinate clause: Quotiens choragus signum dat
• Main clause: totiens caterva in pulpitum venit

A useful clue is the pair quotiens ... totiens. The first sets up the condition in time, and the second gives the matching result.

It is natural Latin word order, and it helps highlight the structure.

• Quotiens comes first to introduce the time clause.
• totiens comes early in the main clause to match quotiens.
• in pulpitum comes before venit, which is a very normal placement for a prepositional phrase before the verb.

Latin word order is more flexible than English word order because the endings show each word’s function. Here the order is chosen more for clarity and style than for strict grammatical necessity.

Pulpitum means a platform or stage. In a theatrical context, it is the stage area where performers appear.

So in pulpitum venit means the group comes onto the stage.

It is a Latinized Greek word. In context it means something like chorus leader, producer, or stage manager, depending on the setting.

For grammar purposes here, the important thing is that it behaves as a normal masculine singular noun and is the subject of dat.